Welcome!

Our Roots

The first Kinship program began in 1954 as the Christian ministry of four students at Luther Seminary in the Twin Cities. These students befriended some boys in a tough Minneapolis neighborhood who needed a positive influence. They weren’t trying to evangelize or act as psychologists or counselors to these boys. They wanted to be their friend and make a difference in their lives.

In 2022, there are currently 19 affiliates throughout Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County joined the other affiliates in 2020. Learn more about Kinship Inc. at www.kinshipinc.org. Our vision is to transform local communities by matching safe, nurturing adult mentors with area youth, so they reach their full potential and become positive contributors to society.

Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County offers two programs:

Community-Based Mentoring

Children or youth ages 5-14 living or attending school in Columbia County with an identified need are matched with a caring adult. They are matched according to location, similar interests, and personalities. The time commitment is approximately 2-4 hours per month with a one-year commitment.

School-Based Mentoring-Lunch Buddy Program

Students in grades 2-5 are matched with a caring adult. The time commitment for Lunch Buddies is 1 hour per month during the child’s lunch period. Interested Adults must be at least 18 years of age, interviewed, and undergo extensive background checks and comprehensive screening before being matched.